


Death of a Friend

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Drama, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-03-10
Updated: 2005-03-10
Packaged: 2019-05-31 03:36:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15110966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: "Oh God." CJ backed into her chair and covered her mouth with her hand.  She could feel the bile rising in her throat and her head started to pound.  "What happened Charlie?"





	Death of a Friend

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Death of a Friend**

**by: Montiese**

**Character(s):** CJ, Leo, Toby, Charlie, Margaret  
 **Pairing(s):** CJ/Leo  
 **Category(s):** Drama/General  
 **Rating:** TEEN  
 **Summary:** "Oh God." CJ backed into her chair and covered her mouth with her hand. She could feel the bile rising in her throat and her head started to pound. "What happened Charlie?"  
 **Feedback:** Send me feedback folks…title it so I’ll read.  
 **Author's Note:** Character death…but it is not who you think it is. Trust me.

CJ walked into her office at 6:45. It was a warm June morning but the storm brewing outside made it dark and grey. She saw the outline of a man standing over her desk so luckily she was not scared to death. Putting her briefcase and purse down she smiled at the visitor.

"Hey Charlie. I thought that…"

CJ flicked on the light, surprised by Charlie's morose expression. Her stomach immediately turned.

"What’s wrong? Is the President alright?"

"Gail’s dead CJ."

"What!"

She rushed around the front of her desk and looked at her beloved fish floating back up near the top of her bowl.

"Oh God." CJ backed up into her chair and covered her mouth with her hand. She could feel the bile rising in her throat and her head started to pound. "What happened Charlie?"

That was probably the silliest question she ever asked anyone in her life. How was Charlie supposed to know? Still, she looked at him with wide blue eyes. She had really been through too much this year…she did not deserve this.

"I got here a half hour ago." Charlie said. "Margaret took some clothes down to be cleaned and I came in to feed Gail and leave some papers on your desk. She was gone."

Somehow, it did not feel strange to talk about Gail as if she were real. She had been a fixture on CJ’s desk for the past seven years. Ever since a love struck Danny Concannon confused Josh’s statement about CJ’s love of goldfish. CJ and Charlie looked at each other for a few long minutes.

"Should I flush…?" Charlie picked up the bowl.

"No!" CJ exclaimed. "Um, I guess I…" she burst into tears.

OK, Charlie thought, this is uncomfortable. Margaret came into the room and he was relieved.

"What’s happening?" Margaret asked.

"Gail died." Charlie replied.

Margaret looked stricken. CJ really did not need this right now.

"Could you go and get CJ some coffee Charlie?" she asked.

He nodded, leaving the room.

"We should flush her." Margaret put on her consoling voice. It had a 40% success rate with Leo…how would his wife take it?"

"Not yet. Margaret, I need you to go and find Danny Concannon. At this hour he’s either in his press office or hanging around the bullpens hassling Annabeth."

"Yeah."

Margaret walked out slowly. CJ put her face on the desk.

"I’m sorry Gail." She muttered into her hand.

Danny walked into the room.

"CJ?"

She looked at him and rushed to his arms. Danny held her close.

"She’s gone Danny." CJ sobbed.

"I know, but you have to pull yourself together. You have a long day ahead of you. Gail lived an abnormal amount of time for a goldfish."

"I know that. She was my friend…sometimes I felt like she was my only friend. The whole world fell apart and Gail was there."

"Come on, we’ll flush her together."

CJ nodded, absently wiping the tears from her face. She clutched Danny’s hand and they went into the Chief of Staff’s bathroom. Danny pulled her from the bowl and dropped her into the toilet. CJ sniffled.

"Say something." He whispered.

"The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want."

Danny flushed the toilet and CJ buried her face in his shoulder. He rubbed her back as Margaret buzzed in on the intercom.

"Leo is on 2 CJ."

She went back into the office and picked up the phone.

"Hi."

"Margaret told me about Gail. Are you OK baby?"

"She was a fish Leo, a fish and I’m crying as if I lost my best friend. Danny is with me."

"Yeah. Well, I will see you at nine. I love you and I am so sorry."

"Thanks. I love you too."

CJ hung up the phone looking at Danny. She looked like her normal self again…her normal self with red eyes. Danny noted in the back of his head that she had been through hell and back in the past year. All of it only made her more strong and beautiful. Charlie came into the room with a coffee and cinnamon bagel.

"Thanks Chazz. I’m OK now. Sorry about the outburst."

"Yeah." Charlie replied. "We’re sitting with the President at 9 and staff is at 10."

CJ looked at her watch when Charlie left the room. That was too much trauma before 7:30 in the morning. Danny smiled at her.

"I have to get going." He said.

She nodded and walked with him to the door.

"Thanks Danny." She pulled him into another hug. "Thank you for Gail."

"You're welcome. See ya."

\--------------------------------------

That afternoon CJ stood on the portico smoking a cigarette she bummed from a Secret Service agent. She rarely smoked; usually it required getting plastered. The day had not been a potboiler and while that was normally cause to celebrate today it gave her too much time to reflect on her dead fish…in which whose death CJ combined all her recent tragedies. The rain came down harder now, splashing CJ’s expensive pumps though she tried to stand away from the pillars. Leo walked toward her and she smiled for him. He returned it.

"I talked to Doug Pierce at State." He said. "They want to take the diplomatic trip to Jordan sometime in the next month."

CJ nodded.

"I want to send Charlie." She replied. "I know that Kate is going and they get along well. I just can't stop thinking about the attack on Donna's envoy. If anything ever happened to Charlie I would never forgive myself…he would never forgive me." Her head tilted toward the Oval Office.

Leo nodded.

"You think I could maybe get a half puff?" he asked.

CJ looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Dream on. I’ve caught you eating Twizzlers a couple of times and let it slide; don't push me. Anyway, you bitched at the President about it a few days ago."

"I would bitch at you too baby, but you are in excellent health. By the way, Twizzlers are a low-fat food. I also happen to believe that you deserve that cigarette today."

"Thank you very much." CJ took a slow drag. A cigarette was rare for her and she wanted to make it last.

"How are you?" Leo asked.

CJ shrugged.

"My office seems empty. I want to get some lunch but I don’t want to sit in there and stare at the empty fishbowl. Am I being silly Leo? Am I getting to emotional about this?"

She looked at her husband as he shook his head.

"Gail has been there with you through thick and thin. When you were upset, you talked to her; when you were triumphant, she helped you celebrate. It is alright to mourn your pet."

"Just not for too long." CJ said.

"Exactly." Leo smiled. "As long as you need to baby."

He slipped his hand in hers and squeezed. CJ put out the cigarette and they walked into the White House together.

"Oh, Sam was looking for you earlier." Leo said.

"Why?"

"I don’t know, but the world is still spinning so I guess it was minimal."

"Yeah. I have a thing so…"

"Go, I’ll see you later."

They parted ways; CJ went back to her office.

"Margaret?"

"Yes?"

"Could you bring me a chef’s salad from the mess please?"

"Yes."

"And could you…?" CJ waved her arms in the direction of Gail’s empty fishbowl.

"Yeah. I moved the appointment with Austin from the Fed to tomorrow at 3 and I gave Charlie Congressman Lesser and the Clean Air Act."

"Thanks. Tell Charlie I need to see him as soon as he can…the next hour."

Margaret nodded and left the office carrying the fishbowl. CJ tried to focus on the work piling up on her desk. This was a slow day; she would finish her paperwork.

\-------------------------------------------

The President was down for the night; CJ sent Margaret home to rest; and she finished checking over her schedule for the week. It was just after nine and time to go home. The steady rain continued…thunder and lightning came with it sometime after 7:00pm. CJ looked up when she heard the light tap on her door. The smile she gave Toby made his heart flutter; it always did.

"I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to come and see you today." He said. "I had two crazies in my office debating about China’s foreign policies…it almost took me back to Big Block of Cheese Day."

CJ laughed, beckoning him further into the office.

"God, we should have done that more often." She replied. "This is our last year Toby…it shouldn’t be about ulcers. That was what the first administration was for."

Toby nodded.

"What’s up with you Tobus, get in here. What do you have behind your back? I hope its liquor; I really hope it is."

"Nope."

Toby pulled the large sandwich bag from behind his back and CJ looked at the fish. Neither of them said anything for a while.

"Oh Toby, it’s wonderful."

"It’s a beta fish. They actually have triple the lifespan of the average goldfish. Considering how long Gail lived this one will watch Tim and Charlie grow up."

"The bowl, it’s out on Margaret’s desk."

Toby got the bowl, put it back on CJ’s desk where it belonged, and dropped the fish in.

"Come here." CJ said.

She leaned across the desk and kissed his lips. Toby sat in the chair on the other side of the desk.

"Does he have a name?" CJ asked.

"Jack. Every fish in the tank was named after a character from a Tom Clancy novel."

"You’re kidding me." CJ replied laughing.

"We are in DC, aren’t we? I figured you deserved the star of the show." Toby said,

"Well, I love him." she tapped the bowl. "Hey there Jack."

He was a lively fish, dark red with the slightest hint of blue in his fins. Charlie came in.

"CJ, I’m heading out if you don’t need me for anything." He said.

"Come and check out my new fish Chazz. Toby bought him for me."

Charlie looked down at the bowl, back where it belonged.

"Nice. Is it a boy or a girl?" he asked.

"Jack." CJ and Toby replied in unison.

"What is on your plate for tonight Charlie?" CJ asked. "Do you want to stay for a drink?"

"I’m meeting Zoey in Georgetown for a drink." Charlie said. "Uh uh, don’t give me that look CJ."

‘What look?"

"The same look the First Lady gave me. It is just drinks…we are just friends."

"OK." CJ said. "I want details tomorrow morning."

"I will give you details as soon as you give me details about you and Leo. Since I never want to hear that you're going to have a long wait."

Toby smiled.

"Get out Charlie." She said. "Have a good night and tell Zoey hello."

"Yeah. Goodnight."

Toby waved as Charlie left.

"Did I hear mention of a drink?" Toby asked.

"I have bourbon over there…only make me a nip."

Toby made the two drinks and joined CJ on the couch.

"You doing better Toby?" CJ asked, sipping her bourbon.

"Yeah."

It was a standard Toby response, and it meant nothing. CJ nodded.

"How are the kids?" Toby asked.

"They are growing so fast. I swear, Tim is going to be this father’s height the next time I take a good look at him." He was three years old now. "On Sunday Leo was teaching him the ABC song. I adore those moments with the two of them."

Her smile caught Toby and he smiled too.

"Huck and Molly are there too. God CJ, we’re parents."

"Isn't it beautiful? When this is all a pinpoint on history’s needle we will still have our families."

"Yeah."

"God Toby, your exuberance is overwhelming."

He smiled. CJ looked at her watch.

"I better get out of here. Finish that Pokey. Do you need a ride?"

"I do have a car." Toby finished his bourbon, shaking his head as it went down hard.

CJ grabbed her briefcase, threw in a few files, and put her purse over her shoulder.

"I’ll get my bag." Toby soda walking out. "We’ll leave together."

CJ waited by her office door, slipping her arm in Toby’s when he came back.

"What is the touching for?" Toby asked.

He had the air of irritability in his voice but CJ knew it was a façade.

"Thank you for the fish Toby…it means a lot to me. I don’t know if I ever thanked you for all you did for the kids and me when Leo was sick. I…"

"Don’t." Toby replied.

They walked out into the rainy night. Toby put up his raggedy Totes; it barely kept them dry. CJ’s driver was waiting nearby.

"You never have to thank me for anything I do for you." He said. "You're my best friend and we take care of each other."

CJ nodded, kissing his cheek softly.

"See you tomorrow Toby."

"Goodnight."

\----------------------------------------

CJ walked into the bedroom, smiling at her husband and son.

"Hello there."

"Mommy!"

Tim held up his arms; CJ picked him up and kissed his face.

"What are you doing up schmutzy face?" she asked.

"He wanted to wait for you." Leo said, handing her his Teddy bear and the book they were reading. "I thought it was OK. Charlie is out like a light."

"I know; I looked in on her. Where is Mitch?"

"Dinner with friends. He said he would be back by midnight."

"Well," CJ turned back to Tim. "I think its time for a certain little boy to get to bed."

"Who?" Tim asked.

"You, Timothy McGarry." She tickled his stomach and he laughed. She loved the gleeful laughs of her babies. "Say goodnight to daddy." CJ turned him upside down and he kissed Leo

"Goodnight daddy."

"Goodnight kiddo. Sweet dreams."

CJ walked out of the room, Tim waving to his father as they went. Leo smiled at the sight of his wife and his only son…her ultimate gift to him in carrying on the McGarry name. He relaxed against the pillows, turning on CNN.

"TV off." CJ said when she came back into the room 15 minutes later.

"Why?" Leo looked at her.

"I would rather make love." CJ left the door cracked and began to undress. "But if you insist on watching Lou Dobbs…"

Leo clicked off the television. CJ fell onto the bed in her underwear. Leo ran his hand across her stomach. Two babies later, over 40, and her body was still magnificent.

"Guess what?" CJ asked as Leo kissed her neck.

"Hmm?"

"Toby bought me a new fish."

Leo stopped what he was doing and looked at her. Toby loved her and Leo knew that.

"Did he?"

"Yeah. Keep doing that."

Leo went back to kissing her neck.

"His name is Jack, he’s a beta fish, and they live three times longer than the average goldfish. Though there was nothing average about Gail." CJ moaned.

"Right there?" Leo asked.

"Oh yeah. Hit the lights honey."

Leo turned off the lights. CJ lifted his tee shirt over his head.

"I love you Leo." She whispered as his mouth pressed against hers.

"I love you too. Forever, I promise."


End file.
